


In The Hands Of The Enemy

by HMSquared



Series: Whumptober 2020 [2]
Category: Transformers: Prime
Genre: Choices, Collars, Electricity, Hostage Situations, Lies, M/M, Minor Character Death, Self-Defense, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:54:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26519335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HMSquared/pseuds/HMSquared
Summary: Starscream is given a sadistic choice. And he gets screwed over anyway.
Relationships: Knock Out/Starscream (Transformers)
Series: Whumptober 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1928164
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	In The Hands Of The Enemy

Starscream found himself in a truly horrific situation: tied up on the bridge and forced to make a horrific choice.

Hardshell and his gang of Insecticons had taken the place hostage. Their three hostages had chosen the worst time possible to be on the bridge; everyone else was out patrolling or mining.

Starscream’s only inhibitor was bound hands. The others weren’t so lucky.

They were both wearing collars of Hardshell’s design. One press of a button and you were flooded with enough electricity to, in the right circumstances, take down the ship.

Now Starscream had a choice to make. One would live, and one would die. Then Hardshell would let the survivors go. They couldn’t stay, of course, but they’d live.

To his right was Megatron. The Decepticon leader was scowling, twitching from his kneeled position. To Starscream’s left, also sitting in front of him, was Knock Out. While mostly stationary, he was glaring at Hardshell with a look no one had seen before.

Normally, Starscream would have just chosen Megatron and called it a day. But now, actually faced with the decision, he was silent. Because no matter what happened, Knock Out would get hurt.

They’d all seen and done horrible things over the years. But Starscream could only guess how painful the collars were. And he did not want Knock Out to feel or witness it.

He loved him. That was the long and short of it. He’d never told the doctor that; who knows if he knew. All Starscream could definitively say was they were orientation compatible.

“Alright, Starscream, what’s it going to be?” Hardshell was standing behind him, remote in hand. It wasn’t anything complicated, just two red buttons. Starscream didn’t respond, fighting to get slack in his wrists. If he could break free and aim a missile at the Insecticon’s head…

Then Megatron might give him a promotion. Maybe he’d finally earn his master’s gratitude.

No. He was not sacrificing Knock Out. Starscream looked at Megatron. He saw the seeker’s intentions and scowled. But no one spoke.

“The smartest thing to do is take out the biggest competitor.” Starscream swallowed, trying to make peace with his decision. “I choose Megatron for elimination.” He shut his eyes. His wrists were almost free…

The button was pressed and loud screams filled the bridge. Starscream winced, his audio receptors firing on all cylinders. Wrenching his hands free, he pointed in Hardshell’s direction and fired.

There was a startled shout and a bang. The bridge fell silent, save for a quiet thump. Standing up, Starscream opened his eyes.

Hardshell was lying on the floor, his spark ripped in half. The controller lay in his hand. The top red button, the button for the left remote, had been pressed into the metal.

Starscream blanched, slowly turning around. Megatron was looking at him, his expression unreadable. And lying next to him on the floor, dead as a doornail, was Knock Out.

His eyes were the Cybertronian equivalent of bloodshot. There were severe burns on his neck; Starscream could almost see the wires. His knees buckled and he began to sob.

“I’m so sorry…” He moved to touch Knock Out and stopped. There was still electricity coursing through his veins. Megatron didn’t say a word. For once, he actually felt bad for Starscream.


End file.
